Things are moving at lightning speed. As these kinds of world fuckups normally do. A roundup of where we stand right now.

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Business Week: Russia Approves Use of Military as Ukraine Slams Invasion

Russia’s parliament approved the use of its military in Ukraine after Russian troops seized facilities in that country’s Crimea region, prompting the government in Kiev to say it was being invaded.

Heeding a request by President Vladimir Putin to protect ethnic Russians, lawmakers in Moscow voted unanimously to send troops to its neighbor, according to a vote today broadcast by Rossiya 24. The upper chamber was also preparing a request for Putin to recall Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said. In Kiev, governing politician Vitali Klitschko called for Ukraine to mobilize its army and consider ousting Russia’s Black Sea Fleet from its Crimean base.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Saturday that Russian action was a “potentially grave threat” to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Hague said he had spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to urge steps to calm the situation, and had sent a summons to the Russian ambassador to register Britain’s concern.

“I am deeply concerned at the escalation of tensions in Ukraine, and the decision of the Russian parliament to authorize military action on Ukrainian soil against the wishes of the Ukrainian Government,” Hague said in a statement.

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting at 19.00 GMT, following Russia’s green light for Vladimir Putin to use force in Ukraine. Vitali Klitschko urges “national mobilisation” in face of “Russian aggression” as violent protests break out in the east. All the latest news from Ukraine here

In the afternoon, when the shift ends at the coal mine and the miners walk out into the cold and past the old concrete statue of Lenin, they often head to a tiny corner store a block away. There they’ll stand in the parking lot for a while, drinking little bottles of the vodka called ‘‘Truthful.’’

They know what is happening in Kiev, the capital city that can seem so far away. They’ve seen pictures of the democracy protesters shot dead in Kiev’s streets, and the TV reports on the mansions of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, the one-time thug and pro-Russia politician who grew up in this far-eastern city. They watched from afar this week as protesters, many from western Ukraine, helped form the country’s new government.

They don’t like it at all.

‘‘I have always felt that we are so different,’’ said a miner who gave his name only as Nikolai, a thickset 35-year-old who went from high school directly into the mines. People speak Russian across most of Ukraine’s east, and worship in onion-domed Orthodox churches. They were shaped by 70 years of Soviet rule and its celebration of socialist industrialization, and by the Russian empire before that. To them, the government is now being run by outsiders who care little for this side of the country. ‘‘If they try to pressure us, our region will revolt.’’

His words are echoed — except for a few key words — in a conversation 800 miles (1,250 kilometers) to the west, in a medieval cobblestoned city, Ukrainian-speaking residents and houses displaying the EU flag and its yellow stars.

‘‘We are simply different people from those living in the East,’’ said Ludmila Petrova, a university student in Lviv, a hotbed of support for Ukraine’s pro-democracy forces and opposition to Yanukovych. ‘‘They don’t know what the West is. We have a different history. Maybe it is better that we separate once and for all.’’

Thank you, Judith. From what we know, FSB Agent Snowden, did not gain access to NSA operational information. So, while he has provided Putin with insights and an opportunity to cause embarrassment and other difficulties among our allies and a fair amount of disturbance within the US re: privacy, it’s less clear that he provided Putin any tactical advantage. No doubt he enabled Putin to embarrass the President.

But, what Putin is doing now, as I’ve stated before, is acting like so many others – from McCain and Romney to all the other fools who’ve gone up against President Obama – he’s acting out against his fantasy version of Barack Obama rather than acknowledging that the real deal Barack Obama is not someone to ever play a game of chicken.

From what I’ve gathered from reading is that all is not what it seems in the area and we all need to take a deep breath. Don’t listen to pundits or Repugs. We really know very little of the area in that part of the world, including there culture or how they feel about Putin. It’s no different than what we didn’t know about the Middle East and what a failure of intelligence that was. I include not only Bush/Cheney/Rumsfield/Powell, but most of the majority in congress including HRH, I mean HRC.

Couldn’t agree more, Bobfr. As part of his fantasy, Putin may think in the wake of the Sochi Olympics that Russia rules and the world loves him. Ugh! This situation is worrisome, but President Obama and his team will deal with it masterfully. Just wish they didn’t have to!

From a not crazy second cousin. A crazy second cousin is posting blame on Pres. Obama. Bloods thick. Some of you may know I did Ancestry before I lost sight in my right eye. I have a great great aunt who came from the Ukraine to South Dakota many years ago. Still haven’t found where I’m getting my 13% Irish though. I do know which side of the family though. Looking forward to celebrating St. Patricks day knowing I’m a tiny bit Irish. I consider 13% to be the Luck ‘O the Irish.😉

… and, I have to agree, President Obama is now facing a global situation the likes of which an American President hasn’t faced since the Cuban Missile Crisis – way more dangerous than even Prague in 1968.

BTW, Putin is making a very big mistake by doing what so many others have done – behaving as if he is dealing with the caricature of President Obama instead of dealing with the person President Obama has shown himself to be.

That’s why I’m so very concerned – Putin has nukes and is acting like this is a game of chicken with a fella who doesn’t ‘ do chicken.’

Way too early to talk about this … and I realize Putin wouldn’t be moving if he weren’t convinced it would work … but I wonder if there’s ANY chance that at the end of this turmoil, involving all kinds of countries and the EU and NATO and the U.N., Putin might be deposed?

Well, guess I’ve answered my own question. At this point, it remains something to wish for, not look for …

Thanks. Hope and believe you are right, Bob (I kind of included all that in my head when I used the overarching “deposed”), although I’d also like this to stop now. Looks as though we’re one day past eternal optimism, however.

It looks to me like the probably outcome of this is going to be division of Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the loose ends of the Cold War. Most in the East want to be Russians and those in the West don’t. Putin wants to annex at least the East and Crimea in the South as a security buffer.

Bill, there’s deep anti-Russian sentiment throughout all of the Ukraine and it is growing. As several Ukrainians have said over the past 48h, the fastest way to solidify Ukraine is for Putin to do what he is doing. The Soviet Union got it’s ass kicked by Afghan Mujahideen. Invading a vast country of 48+ Million people will not go well for them, at all.

I haven’t been able to keep up with the posts on the Ukraine this morning, sorry TODtown. . .
However I did read what Jim Wright of Stonekette Nation posted to his FB page. I don’t think many of you are on FB so it’s not useful to post a link there if I knew how. It’s long, similar to posts he writes on Stonekettle a Nation. He’s in Anchorage watching the start of the Iditarod. So don’t think he’ll post there. So I’m wondering if it’s alright to post here?

So folks (myself included) got after him on Twitter for selecting the pics that he did and then trying to back track on his initial point, and then Allan Brauer posted this tweet with pics showing the opposite of what the TIME correspondent had originally posted.

No-one else will see any connection, but reading this I suddenly thought of the female CBS “reporter” who did the hatchet job on Benghazi and eventually got suspended/took a leave, or whatever. Has she returned to 60mins, or did she just fade into the blue? I can’t remember her name (which IMO underlines the fact that long after those who try to undermine PBO disappear, he’ll still be remembered).

There you go! I honestly couldn’t remember her name. In fact, I promptly forgot about her again after writing my comment. Do you know if she’s back at CBS, or has she moved on to other media pastures? Not that she matters.

I’m not in the least bit concerned about President Obama not taking action. I’m more concerned about him taking action; V.P. Biden did say that President Obama has a ramrod for a backbone. The impulsive man doesn’t scare me, it’s the man that is slow to anger that does. President Obama has the patience of Job, but his patience is not infinite.

WOW, Don just wow. I so agree. I don’t think the rwnj and Putin understand the breadth of Obama’s intelligence and how he sees things. Do not underestimate this man. I am so proud and thankful he is our President.

And Bobfr’s comment above “Putin is making a big mistake by do what so many others have done-behaving as if he is dealing with the caricature of President Obama instead of dealing with the person President Obama has shown himself to be.” Bobfr, Great words of truth. Thank you. HZ

Ukraine told Russia that a military invasion would mean war, after lawmakers in Moscow voted to give President Vladimir Putin the right to send troops to its neighbor.

Russian troops entering Ukraine means war and the country is ready to fight for its sovereignty, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said at a news conference in Kiev today. Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov put the country’s military on full combat alert, pledging to protect all Ukrainians.

Heeding a request by Putin to protect ethnic Russians, lawmakers in Moscow today voted unanimously to allow him to send troops to its neighbor, according to a vote today broadcast by Rossiya 24. The upper chamber was also preparing a request for Putin to recall Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.

Hoeefully he’s offering a snarky but true observation, unlike the chief foreign correspondent (!) for TIME magazine, which used to employ talented people.

I remember reading Crowley’s posts on TNR blog during the 2008 campaign, and I’m pretty sure he was an Obama supporter. He didn’t offer the kind of full-throated support that some of his colleagues did, but that’s what my (hazy) memory tells me.

The tweet that really pissed me off was one that Hopefruit posted earlier from @MattYglesias saying that the Brother’s Keeper iniative means that “Obama has run out of ideas.” Can’t seem to find the post in his timeline now…

This made me want to strangle him, though I doubt I could get my small hands around his fat neck.

If not Obama, what other President could speak this way to our “invisible” youth?

The Koch/MSM refuses to acknowledge that PBO has any unique qualities or gifts. They love to accuse him of playing the “race card” but they refuse to acknowledge that there really is life outside the elite DC bubble.

Unfortunately, pf58, I think the Administration has likely reached the point that they know they cannot trust Putin, at all. It would be folly for the US, NATO, and all our other allies not to be making extensive military contingency plans, including extensive cyberwarfare plans, at this time. Given President Obama’s proven rigor in such matters, my money is on his National Security team already being deep into preparations.

pf58, we have to hope that Americans fully back President Obama. The scale of this crisis is enormous. What it’s long term effects will be will entirely depend on what happens in the next few days. If Putin’s troops begin pushing into Eastern Ukraine, we may not get to see ‘long term’ consequences. You know I’m not an alarmist. In this case, every fiber of my being is resonating with the fears I had as a teenager living through the Cuban Missile Crisis. I have not felt that way since, not with 9/11, not with Vietnam, not with anything.